hand·i·cap / ˈhandēˌkap/ • n. a condition that markedly restricts a person's ability to function physically, mentally, or socially: he was born with a significant visual handicap. ∎  a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult: a criminal conviction is a handicap and a label that may stick forever. ∎  a disadvantage imposed on a superior competitor in sports such as golf, horse racing, and competitive sailing in order to make the chances more equal. ∎  a race or contest in which such a disadvantage is imposed: [in names] the trophy for the $75,000 Ak-Sar-Ben Handicap. ∎  the extra weight to be carried in a race by a racehorse on the basis of its previous performance to make its chances of winning the same as those of the other horses. ∎  the number of strokes by which a golfer normally exceeds par for a course (used as a method of enabling players of unequal ability to compete with each other): [in comb.] his game struggles along in the 20-handicap range. • v. (-capped, -cap·ping) [tr.] act as an impediment to: lack of funding has handicapped the development of research. ∎  place (someone) at a disadvantage: without a good set of notes you will handicap yourself when it comes to exams.

handicap †lottery in which one person challenged an article belonging to another and offered something in exchange, an umpire decreeing the respective values XVII; †handicap match match between two horses, in which the umpire decided the extra weight to be carried by the superior horse; so handicap (race) XVIII; hence gen., and later applied to the extra weight itself, and so to any disability in a contest XIX. Presumably f. phr. hand i' (i.e. in) cap, the two parties and the umpire in the orig. game all depositing forfeit money in a cap or hat.
Hence vb. †draw as in a lottery XVII; engage in a handicap; weight race-horses; penalize (a superior competitor) XIX.

handicap (han-di-kap) n. partial or total inability to perform a social, occupational, or other activity that the affected person wants to do.